Mementobox app gives you an iPhone-based baby memory box

After the birth of a child, many a well-intentioned parent has started to put together a baby memory box or baby journal, filled with keepsakes and mementos from their little one's first year. But amid a blur of dirty diapers and messy feeds the majority lose momentum, Mementobox is a new iPhone app which it's hoped will see more parents stick with it by digitizing the process.

The people behind Mementobox say the idea of an iPhone-based baby memory box was obvious to them because people tend to have their iPhone with them at all times. That means when you see your baby laugh for the first time, or takes those initial wobbly steps, your method of recording the moment is only ever a couple of seconds away.

The Mementobox app itself is divided into three sections, the first of which "My arrival" is designed to store pregnancy photos and scan pictures, allow visitors to leave messages for the baby and keep a record of gifts received and the thank you notes sent. All entries can be kept private within the app, or shared via social networks or email.

A "My first year" section is then intended for recording your child’s major milestones, such as their first smile, word, or steps, and entries can be made as videos, photographs or notes. There's also the option of keep track of immunizations and minor illnesses, and the app will make suggestions about possible entries, though users can add their own categories too.

The final section "My world" takes the form of a virtual time capsule with parents encouraged to link to external media to record things, such as what was number one when baby was born, who was making the headlines, or what everyone was reading. It's worth noting all the data is stored within the app on the iPhone and, while users are currently recommended to manually backup to Dropbox, a full export to Dropbox feature is being worked on.

Emma and Dave Holland, the couple behind the app, told Gizmag the idea came from the fact that when their first child was born, they kept a physical baby memory box filled with personal keepsakes, photos and media cuttings, but 18 months later, when their second son was born, their mementos were all digital.

"It was only 18 months later our second son arrived, but in that time the world had become a digital place, and the content for his memory box became more virtual," said Emma, from Warwickshire, UK. "While we began storing content on a USB, we really wanted somewhere more visually appealing to keep our memories, easily share them with family and friends, plus store for the future. As smartphones had launched, the answer was simple – an app would make the perfect memory box."

The Mementobox app is available from the App Store for US$3.99 and an Android version is in the works.